1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid phase oxidation reactor, and more particularly, to a liquid phase oxidation reactor having an improved structure such that oxidation of a reaction solvent can be reduced by adjusting an effective contact time during which an oxygen-containing gas is in contact with a reactant in manufacturing an aromatic organic acid.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, liquid phase oxidation reactions are widely used for a process of manufacturing compounds. A process for manufacturing an aromatic organic acid is a representative example of liquid phase oxidation reactions. Aromatic organic acids are important fundamental chemical materials, and in particular starting materials of fibers, resins, and plasticizers and the like. For example, terephthalic acids for polyester fibers have been produced in large quantities throughout the world. A conventional liquid phase oxidation reactor for manufacturing an aromatic organic acid is constructed such that a rotary stirring blade is installed in a cylindrical reaction vessel. In order to perform liquid phase oxidation, reactants including alkyl substituted aromatics such as para-xylene and a mixture of reaction solvents such as acetic acid, and an oxidation catalyst are supplied to a reaction vessel while an oxygen containing gas such as air is supplied to the stirring blade.
The conventional liquid phase oxidation reactor performs conversion to aromatic organic acid, which is the objective of this reaction, in the vicinity of the stirring blade along with oxidation of the reaction solvent. However, in the process of converting the reactants into aromatic acid through oxidation, a significant amount of solvent is also oxidized and thereby consumed.
To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid phase oxidation reactor capable of economically manufacturing an aromatic organic acid while minimizing oxidation of a reaction solvent.
Accordingly, to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a liquid phase oxidation reactor including: a substantially cylindrical reaction vessel having an interior space of a predetermined volume; a lid combined with the reaction vessel on top of the reaction vessel; one or more stirring blades disposed within the reaction vessel and rotating by a driving source disposed on the outside of the reaction vessel; a liquid phase supplying line disposed at a sidewall of the reaction vessel 11 for supplying a liquid phase reactant to the reaction vessel; a liquid phase discharging line disposed at a sidewall of the reaction vessel for draining a product obtained through a chemical reaction out of the reaction vessel; a gas feed nozzle formed in a bent shape for supplying an oxygen containing gas to the reaction vessel; and an angle adjusting means for supporting the gas feed nozzle so that the gas feed nozzle is turned so that the outlet thereof faces one of the stirring blades or the interior sidewall of the reaction vessel. The angle of the gas feed nozzle is adjusted in order to control effective contact time during which liquid is in contact with gas reactants and to minimize the burning of a solvent. The angle adjusting means comprises a first bearing fixed into a through hole in the reaction vessel for supporting the gas feed nozzle so that the gas feed nozzle can be turned and a control lever fixed to the gas feed nozzle disposed on the outside of the reaction vessel and manipulated by a user""s hands. The angle adjusting means further includes a second bearing disposed between the gas feed nozzle and a gas supplying line for supplying the oxygen containing gas to the gas feed nozzle for supporting the gas feed nozzle so that the gas feed nozzle can turn with respect to the gas supplying line.
The present invention also provides a liquid phase oxidation reactor including: a substantially cylindrical reaction vessel having an interior space of a predetermined volume; a lid combined with the reaction vessel on top of the reaction vessel; one or more stirring blades disposed within the reaction vessel and rotating by a driving source disposed on the outside of the reaction vessel; a liquid phase supplying line disposed at a sidewall of the reaction vessel for supplying a liquid phase reactant to the reaction vessel; a liquid phase discharging line disposed at a sidewall of the reaction vessel for draining a product obtained through a chemical reaction out of the reaction vessel; and a gas feed nozzle formed in a bent shape for supplying an oxygen containing gas to the reaction vessel and fixedly installed so that the outlet thereof faces the interior sidewall of the reaction vessel.